# Respiratory Syncytial Virus Targeting of the Human Airway Epithelium

> **NIH NIH R01** · RESEARCH INST NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSP · 2020 · $370,417

## Abstract

Abstract:
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most frequent cause of hospitalization for infants and young children,
but no vaccines or antiviral drugs are yet available. RSV infects the cells that line the nose, trachea and smaller
airways. The overall goal of the laboratory is to understand how RSV infects its target cell, the ciliated airway
cell, and to use that information to develop better vaccine and antiviral drug candidates. This laboratory uses
primary well differentiated human airway epithelial cultures (HAECs) to study RSV infection. These HAECs have
recently been used to identify an important RSV receptor on the ciliated airway cells. Preliminary data presented
here demonstrate that the RSV produced by these HAECs is much more infectious for HAECs than for
immortalized cells and its attachment, G, glycoprotein is responsible for this difference. The G protein is modified
differently in HAECs as it passes through the cell, on its way to being incorporated into the RSV virion at the
plasma membrane and this modification may be responsible for its enhanced activity. This project will identify
the modification and the mechanism by which it is made. RSV also produces a secreted form of the G protein
that triggers immune cells to migrate toward RSV-infected cells. This project will also determine if this secreted
G protein is modified like the full-length version, and if its signaling activity is changed or enhanced by its
modification, similar to the full-length G protein. Once the modification of the G protein and the secreted G protein
are identified, and the mechanism by which they are modified are identified, this information could enable the
production of more effective and economical live attenuated vaccines for RSV and provide targets for novel
antiviral agents. This project will advance the NIH Mission of developing “fundamental knowledge to extend
healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness.”

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9851316
- **Project number:** 5R01AI093848-07
- **Recipient organization:** RESEARCH INST NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSP
- **Principal Investigator:** Mark E. Peeples
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $370,417
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2011-12-01 → 2023-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9851316

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9851316, Respiratory Syncytial Virus Targeting of the Human Airway Epithelium (5R01AI093848-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9851316. Licensed CC0.

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